Host Your BIG EVENT In The Dramatic Space At Material Culture!

This year, hold your BIG EVENT (100 to 200+ guests) in the dramatic space at Material Culture, a centrally-located art, antiques, and hand crafts emporium where all food is prepared in-house by Baba Olga’s Kitchen under the direction of Chef Aliza Green. Our exciting and diverse menu is prepared from the heart, made-from-scratch using the best local, seasonal, and sustainable ingredients. It’s delicious food you can feel good about eating and proud to invite your guests to share.

Space: Built in 1920 and occupying the former train station of the landmark Atwater Kent Radio Factory, Material Culture offers 60,000 square feet of space–a spectacular stage for any event! The towering ceilings, generous expanses of glittering light, and galleries adorned with architectural elements and artwork from around the globe, will provide a striking and memorable backdrop for any occasion. Photo Gallery

Food: Helmed by acclaimed Chef Aliza Green, the James Beard award-winning author of fifteen cookbooks and food guides, Baba Olga’s Kitchen marries global flavor with the most locally-sourced, sustainably-harvested ingredients. The Philadelphia Inquirer inducted Chef Green into its Culinary Hall of Fame as one of the city’s ten people most influential on food for her extensive efforts in working with local farmers. See sample menus from events we have catered

Value: Expect the unexpected when holding your special event at Material Culture. Since 1993, great values and affordable pricing have been a hallmark for customers at Material Culture. That tradition now extends to holiday parties, weddings, receptions, fundraisers, meetings, showers, rehearsal dinners, bar or bat mitzvahs… One big plus is that you keep costs down by supplying your own alcoholic beverages, which our professional bartenders will set-up and serve.

Convenience: Material Culture is centrally located in the East Falls section of Philadelphia with free, unlimited parking and easy pick up and drop off. Just 11 minutes from the Philadelphia Museum of Art, 13 minutes from 30th St. Station, 15 minutes from Center City, 6 minutes from Bala Cynwyd, 15 minutes from Chestnut Hill, and 22 minutes from Philadelphia Intl. Airport. Directions

Testimonials

“Have your event here!! We recently had our wedding ceremony and reception here, and couldn’t have been happier. No joke. First off, all of our guests keep saying, and rightly so, that is is absolutely the coolest and most unique venue they’ve ever seen. From the very beginning Aliza and Samantha made the planning process easy and fun. There’s a real attention to detail, and you can tell they really enjoy what they do and that they’re having fun. Chef Aliza Green is incredible, and loves to cook interesting things. If you’re looking for a “chicken or fish” type of event, you’re doing yourself a dis-service (though I’m sure it’d be delicious too). We sat with her and she asked us about what foods we liked and grew up with from our families and our cultures, and she had an interesting take on each aspect of what we thought our “theme” might be. People were raving.

Walking in on the day of our wedding, we had zero concerns that things would be setup and would run the way that we wanted them to, and honestly it was even better than we could have hoped. We wanted to have not only a unique and really special event, but we wanted to throw a really great party, and from what our friends and family keep telling us, I know we succeeded.

Seriously they were so great here from start to finish (and after). Flexible and creative, and easy-going while still professional.

Couldn’t have asked for a better experience.”

—Ringo R (Groom, Wedding, Yelp Review)

“My husband and I recently got married at Material Culture and it was truly magical. I could go on for hours about the how wonderful the staff at Material Culture are and how personal they are. The store itself is beyond unique, every time we visit there is something new or different! The food prepared by Chef Aliza Green is out of this world. There aren’t enough stars to show how much we recommend Material Culture!”

—Kimberly Reilly, (Facebook review)

Hey Samantha, Wow, what a night. I just want to say what a great experience we had with Material Culture. And not just us. Everyone from my Mom who has worked in restaurants, to my Aunt that is hard to please, to our friends and our families from all over who couldn’t stop gushing about the beautiful space, the amazing food, the professionalism of the staff and just what a great place Material Culture is. Hopefully many come back to shop or host events of their own! And on a personal level, we feel like we hit the jackpot having you as our venue liaison and essentially our wedding planner. Your positive approach, calming presence, and design eye made planning this event just the best experience ever. Thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you

—Michael & Anneliese (Wedding)

“My daughter had her wedding at Material Culture and it was amazing! The food was incredible and staff over the top helpful. If you are looking for an interesting and unusual place for a party in Philadelphia, look no further. This place is GREAT!”

—Jen Griffith, Facebook Post (Wedding)

“You were so great! I can’t stop telling people what an amazing experience it was to have our wedding hosted by you. I am thrilled to be invited to our friends’ wedding in the Spring so we can enjoy a wedding there as guests.

I especially appreciated the fact that you sought us out twice to make sure we were eating AND made up a vegan plate for Bianca! I honestly couldn’t be happier with the way it all went.

Also, we are so so grateful that you packed up food for us to have on Sunday. We were exhausted and so hungry after what felt like days of running around and not eating well. We so appreciated the chance to eat together and have all of the delicious food that we had been thinking about for months. It was an incredibly thoughtful gesture and it made our Sunday!”

—Mike (Wedding)

“I want to thank you for every thing you did to make the whole experience so utterly wonderful and stress free. I really think Jacqui and Jake made the best possible choices with Material Culture and Baba Olgas. You are first rate in every way and the whole staff and team were really lovely in every regard. Thanks for helping to make such a special day so memorable and pleasant.

Please let me know how we can help spread the word….”

—All my very best, Rob (Father, Wedding)

“We got home from the wedding and could not allow ourselves to sit until we were packed for our trip. Almost finished and as I finally collapse, my very first job is to thank you so very much. The day was perfect in every way. We are so thankful and grateful for all your care and consideration in the months leading up to the day and your continued efforts today. Many of our guests told us it was the best wedding they had ever been to.Aliza, as I write, I am reheating the meal you so thoughtfully packed for us. Dora and I nibbled a bit at the reception but were not really able to sit and eat. We are so looking forward to our second chance. We hope you will have a bit of down time after this weekend. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts.”

—Sincerely, Dora and Heidi (Wedding)

“What an incredible night of food last night!

Thanks for all the heart and soul you put into the food and the service. Our staff had an amazing time and were raving all night about the food.

We’ve been noshing and feasting all day today, sharing the victuals with musicians, friends and family.

I hope you enjoyed the job and being here. We loved having you!

Best wishes for a wonderful marriage! …ephi”

—Ephraim Paul Galbraith & Paul (Company Holiday Party)

“I thank you and your entire team for hosting a truly beautiful book launch on my behalf.

The design and décor of the space was perfectly engaging, welcoming and accommodating to the evening’s purpose. The food was delicious, tasty, and plentiful. (Thank you for the take-home goodies – I’m enjoying them still!)

And your gracious and enthusiastic attitude was notable. You made quite an impression on my guests and I know many of them will come back and keep you in mind for their own events in the future. Thank you again for contributing so much to such an important milestone in my professional and personal life.”

—Sincerely, Cheryl (Book Launch Party)

“Thanks for making my surprise birthday celebration such a beautiful affair. I was overwhelmed and in awe with not only the ability of my husband and daughter to pull off the surprise, but also how flawlessly everything went. Both commented on how easy it was to work with you. The rooms were set-up beautifully, the delicious menu served on real plates and the impeccable service showed how much effort you put into making the event such a success. My guests also expressed how much they enjoyed the venue and especially the food. I am still flying on cloud nine.

Thanks again to you and your courteous staff for such a classy affair.”

—Sincerely, Linda (Surprise Birthday Party)

“Thank you so much for preparing an unbelievable dining experience for all of our guests at the Bat Mitzvah. There were countless remarks regarding how delicious all of the food was. I couldn’t be more thrilled with the menu we picked out and the delivery.”

—Rachel (Bat Mitzvah)

“Thanks again for a terrific event. We couldn’t have been happier with everything you did. Consider us a reference for future events, and hopefully you will still be around when our daughters get married.”

“The Painted Bride Art Center held it’s 45th Anniversary Celebration at Material Culture this past Saturday and it was a smashing success. The venue is unparalleled with art and furniture from all over the world used as the backdrop or the centerpiece for your event. It’s a visual delight and our guests were impressed as soon as they walked in the door. And, the food was outstanding! Baba Olga’s Kitchen is on site and Chef Aliza Green prepared a Caribbean buffet that was absolutely delicious. And the table presentation was more than we could have hoped for. She even had fresh sugar cane in vases beside the buffet table. The owners and staff could not have been more accommodating. They went out of their way to make sure that our needs were met and had creative suggestions to make our event the success that it was. When we asked our guests what contributed to our success they said it was the venue (Material Culture), the food (Baba Olga’s Kitchen) and the band (Urban Guerilla Orchestra).

I would highly recommend Material Culture and Chef Aliza Green for most any event.

“We (Painted Bride Art Center) recently hosted a party at Material Center and 5 stars just isn’t enough to illustrate the responsiveness of the Material Culture staff, their willingness to work with us to create a once-in-a lifetime event and the food was incredible. It’s simply one of the best venues in the region. I would definitely recommend this space for your special event.”

“I knew I was going to like Rachel and Josh’s wedding from the very start. They chose a very unique Philadelphia venue, Material Culture, for their ceremony and reception. It’s basically a huge warehouse filled with antique furniture and other beautiful objects (clothing, incense, statues). I LOVED the idea of it! We started the (rainy) day at Loews Hotel, where we did some photos on the 33rd floor with a great view of the Philadelphia skyline. Then we did some portraits of Rachel and Josh in the amazing rug gallery at Material Culture, which was also where their reception took place. It was truly special. And their celebration was really fun, with good bands, lots of dancing, delicious buffet-style dinner, ice cream and donuts instead of a traditional cake and a hookah lounge. Thanks Rachel and Josh for letting me be a part of your celebration!”

“From the brides: “Dr. Betty Chernack wed Ms. Michele Broskey. The ladies first fell in love with each other and than fell in love with Material Culture, and eventually held their wedding there. A former train station and now a store/auction hall filled with art, antiques, crafts, furnishings and architectural elements from around the world, Material Culture offered the passion and uniqueness that embodies this couple. And the staff there are just as beautiful as the store itself.

Award winning Chef Aliza Green’s adjacent Baba Olga’s Kitchen served the most delicious locally-sourced food around. Rather than the typical steak, chicken or fish options of most weddings, their menu included such highlights as dates in a blanket, Chilean Sea bass, West African chicken yassa and Greek braised beef stifado.”